Aurelian Dominion
The Aurelian Dominion 'is a highly collectivized, militaristic, spiritualistic autocracy born out of the aftermath of the Venkath Onslaught and during the First Poenari Congress. After the failed negotiations with the Thesian Republic on the post-war restructuring of humanity, Isaac Wolfe was declared Imperator by the Golden Dawn and the Garudan Order, with Wolfe ordering the deployment of the Markus-Lindholm Entropy Detonation Device in a sneak attack on his former ally's naval forces. With a quarter of the Republic's fleet in ruin, the way seemed clear to conquer the rest of the Human Sphere. Yet, the Dominion's advance ground to a halt when the former Museum District of Orion's Jewel on Monolith was destroyed by a similar device by the Republic. After humanity was formally divided through the Second Poenari Congress, the Dominion annexed it's minor alliance partners and became entrenched on the interstellar political stage. __toc__ The Dominion takes it's first name, Aurelian, from the word ''aurelia: which means crysalis; specifically to the golden hue it may attain before the butterfly emerges. This is a reference to the Dominion's self-perception that humanity is about to evolve, and they should be the ones directing that evolution. Under the command of Isaac Wolfe, the Dominion and it's peoples believe that they are the inheritors of mankind's legacy. Only they, united in the Garudan faith and the draconian law of the Golden Dawn, can truly lead humanity down the correct path. In addition to this the Dominion maintains several "purity policies" that strictly regulates the sort of cybernetic and genetic augmentation that any subject of the Dominion can receive. Subjects found in violation of the aforementioned edicts are corrected, reeducated, and on occasion nerve stapled; the body is flooded with pain stimuli and subliminal messages in order to dull the senses and create a docile subject. By definition, the Aurelian Dominion is an absolute monarchy: meaning that all facets of government are shaped by the state religion and the military and the ruler is blessed with a divine right to rule. When Isaac Wolfe was crowned Imperator, he entered into a sacrosanct covenant to command humanity under the auspices of the Garudan faith and it's tenants. In return, the Imperator is hailed as a divine figure worthy of respect. While the Imperator is still human, her or she is seen as the spiritual liege of the human race and indeed the stars themselves. The Imperator's temporal power extends over the Dominion and all of it's holdings, giving the ruler absolute control over affairs of state. However, in recent years, squabbling factions have eroded the Dominion's internal balance by placing the effectiveness of an Imperator in direct correlation to his or her control over the different entities of the ruling class. In short, the Dominion itself is culturally united but not always politically so. History 6415 The approximate date set in the mythology of Garudanism that the legendary prophet Malachi departed his acolytes in search of cosmic paradise. Before his departure, he codified his teachings in the Celestial Codex and urged his followers to proselytize his teachings. Malachi stated that for humanity to triumph over the stars that "they must remaing true to themselves." This is widely believed by secular scholars to be the impetus for the Garudan Order's puritanical belief structure. 7105 Isaac Wolfe is born on Monolith in the Arcturus System. 7114 Formation of the Golden Dawn, also known as the Aurora Aurea Comitatus. In the wake of mainstream genetic and cybernetic enhancement, the party was founded on principles of restoring humanity's purity through regulation of the entire process on a macro and micro scale. Due to the diverse nature of the Terran Confederacy and their status as a reactionary movement, the party itself is not politically popular. 7121 Golden Dawn presidential candidate Elliot Novak is assassinated prior to the Terran Confederacy general election. While Novak was losing by double digits across multiple sectors, his death was viewed as a martyrdom to party leaders. They believed that his death was perpetrated by "Earth's oligarchy" in order to silence "the greatest leader humanity ever had the chance of knowing." Golden Dawn organizers begin to stockpile weapons and train a paramilitary force in secret under the guise of revenge. 7123 A string of political murders on Monolith and several other Terran Confederacy worlds is accredited to the Golden Dawn as retaliation for the assassination of Elliot Novak. All suspects vanished and no arrests were ever made. 7126 The Venkath Onslaught begins. During a State of the Confederacy address with both houses of the legislature in attendance, the venkath launch a surprise attack on Earth. A coordinated attack on the command structure and the garrison leaves the youngest starship captain of the Terran Navy, Isaac Wolfe, in charge of the defense. A valiant counterattack is attempted, but the tenacity and advanced technology of the venkath force a general retreat of the Terran forces, with Earth being abandoned and it's government slaughtered. The retreat makes it's way to Monolith to link up with the sector command stationed there. The Golden Dawn and the Garudan Order, natural allies in this crisis scenario, pledge their resources and influence to Captain Wolfe in order to assemble a resistance. In exchange, Wolfe must ally with these two organizations and spread their ideals to humanity should there be a victory. Believing he can control them, Wolfe accepts. 7142 Sarah Wolfe is born on Ypres after Captain Wolfe has a daliance with a woman planetside during a battle. 7149 After years of struggle, humanity turns the tide and launches a surprise attack on the venkath's home planet after securing one of their galactic maps. Dubbed Poenari by the sailors and soldiers of the Confederacy, the planet is effectively destroyed by the detonation of a Markus-Lindholm Entropy Detonation Device. With the destruction of their home world, the venkath in human space scatter and the Coalition declares victory. The First Poenari Congress is convened as the victors debate on how the Terran Confederacy should be reconstituted. Isaac Wolfe insists on the reorganization of the Confederacy into a more centralized, militaristic state in order to defend against future alien incursions. Rebuked by the future founders of the Thesian Republic, Wolfe breaks from the conference, is crowned Imperator by his soldiers, and orders a second Entropy Device to detonated on the non-allied Coalition fleet, and commands the invasion of the rest of the Human Sphere. The invasion is quickly halted with an Entropy Device is detonated on Monolith in the Museum District of the capital city of Orion's Jewel. The blast is minimal in comparison, but all pre-Onslaught human artifacts gathered there were destroyed. The future founders of the Legacy Federation convene the Second Poenari Congress in an effort to avoid the complete destruction of mankind. Instead of reconstituting the Confederacy: the Human Sphere is divided between the new galactic superpowers of the Aurelian Dominion, the Thesian Republic, and the Legacy Federation. Wolfe returned to Trantor in a much more somber mood -- many believed the events surrounding the Onslaught and the Poenari Congresses had changed him. Regardless, Trantor was hailed as the capital of the Dominion and the construction of an empire in Wolfe's image began. 7173 The society of the Aurelian Dominion has been utterly and radically changed since the close of the Venkath Onslaught. The Tribunal of Functions and their attendant collectives were formed as well as scores of new laws from the encouragement of breeding to the so-called "purity mandates" that control how someone augments themselves. While the old, pre-Onslaught generation became uneasy with these changes, the new post-Onslaught generation accepted them with open arms. A cultural divide between old and new began to erupt, culminating with the creation of the Aqua Regia -- their name coming from the only acid that can dissolve gold. The Resistance itself is heavily suppressed by the Dominion and is shrouded from public view. Bombings and assassinations are presented as rogue agents or lone gunmen. Internal political analyists believe the Resistance a passing fad and expect it dissolve in a year or two. 7175 Present day. Government The Aurelian Dominion, in essence, is an absolute monarchy with the Imperator's power confirmed by the Garudan Order and supported by the Imperial Defense Force. As an absolute monarch, the ruler controls all facets of state, with bureaucracies created to manage areas that he or she alone cannot feasibly control. Due to the centralized, and often vast, nature of the Dominion's government, some ministries often act with near-independance, and can sometimes degrade into corruption and abuse of power. However, this is not the case on every world and overall the government of the Dominion is efficient and constantly adapting to the galactic environment. Divine Right Historically, monarchies backed by divine right often draw that right from a higher religious power such as God in Christian teachings. However, Garudanism does not support the idea of a cosmic deity and preaches that mankind are the gods, and gods must be physically and spiritually pure. As a result, the Garudan Order teaches that the fabric of the cosmos instills a ruler with the divine right to rule if that ruler is in line with the official doctrine. When a ruler dies, it is determined who the ruler wished to be his or her heir, and the Garudan Order determines if that person has the divine right to rule based on their adherance to the established doctrine. If they are, they the person is crowned -- if not, that person is disqualified from inheritance and it moves onto the next person. While the Dominion is a monarchy, it is not necessarily a fact that the next of kin will take on the blessing of the cosmos. The notion of an Imperator ruling without the right to do so is considered disastorous by Dominion political analysts. Tribunal of Functions After the Museum District crisis the Dominion was organized into collectives, as it was believed the individuality expressed in the Republic was decadent and dangerous. A great, interstellar collective was seen as a thick stone wall -- strong individuals make up the bricks that keep the Dominion safe and intact. The Dominion accomplishes this through the Tribunal of Functions; a panel of scholars that reviews test scores, stated interests, and trained observation and makes an informed decision on a person's future. At 16 years old, a Dominion subject becomes an Applicant and stands before a panel of 7 judges, called Tribunes, that analyze every aspect of their lives and determine their employment path. Ranging from government administration to sewer cleaning, a subject's placement is for life. Dominion subjects are only issued one appeal which may go all the way to the Tribunes on Monolith. The only mobility a subject may have is within their field, unless a crisis precipitates a need for the Tribunal to reassign you. The Great Game As the Dominion grew in size and power after the Great Regret and the Onslaught, so did the factions within it. While the Imperator is indeed the absolute ruler, his or her efficacy solely depends on his or her ability to control the elements of government. These factions include, but are not limited to, the Imperial Household, the Garudan Order, the Imperial Defense Force, the rising class of Dominion aristocrats, the Imperator's own crown corporations, and the Office of State Security. While it may not be necessary to control them all, an Imperator that wishes to rule with the fullest extend of their power will have to play what has been affectionately called the ''Great Game ''by it's players. The irony of the Dominion is that it appears outwardly strong and united, but is anything but as factions seek to acquire wealth and power to fuel their own schemes. Should an Imperator, or anyone for that matter, gain the support of all of the factions, the wielder would possess near unlimited political power. Foreign Policy Due to the Great Regret and the ensuing Second Poenari Congress, the Dominion's view of the other galactic superpowers is tenuous at best. The Thesian Republic is viewed as a usurper; their stunning preparation in the face of betrayal robbed the Dominion of their mandate to rule the stars. The Thesian people are scorned with silent contempt due to their extreme level of decadence. The Legacy Federation is viewed as a wayward son who lacks guidance, yet has massive potential. The Federation's impressive business acumen and their uncontested control of the trade lanes has often been a point of contention between the two powers. Economy By definition, the economy of the Aurelian Dominion is centrally planned. Capitalism is seen as an inevitably oppressive and divisive economic model, yet also seen as a necessity to compete in the foreign markets of their rivals. Thusly, it is strictly controlled and regulated in order to create a quasi-fair atmosphere for the consumer. Some goods, such as experimental drugs, are on a whitelist and a buyer must seek approval for the purchase through the Dominion's Finance Ministry. Some items, suchs as weapons, are completely banned for sale to the common citizen unless they have the requisite security clearance. Mercantile Economy During the Onslaught, Monolith maintained radio silence with the surrounding worlds and even tossed worlds to the invaders to save their own skins. While that knowledge was supressed by Imperator Wolfe and his cronies, Monolith used it's tremendous reserve resources post-war to subjugate the surrounding worlds and incorporate them into the Dominion's political structure. Each planet had varying degrees of acceptance of their new fate, but all were quickly reorganized to serve the interests of the new imperial capital. Monolith, along with a few other whitelisted locations, controls all of the factors of production. Raw materials are shipped for processing and finished goods are sold back should they fall within the perview of the public domain. The planetary administration is responsible for coordinating the Tribunal of Functions and the Crown Corporations (explained below) in meeting quotas. This system has made Monolith monstrously rich in comparison to her territories. Crown Corporations Owned nomially by the Imperator, crown corporations are the Dominion's answer to undesirable and imperfect facets of capitalism. In a collectivist society where wealth and status are still appreciated, crown corporations are some of the only organizations permitted to operate freely within Dominion space. Businesses from outside the Dominion are allowed to sell within her borders, but with increased port duties and tariffs as these corporations are not state-ran and loyal to the imperial household. While subjects are free to buy goods from any business, crown corporations would consistently have lower prices due to offer to their customers within Dominion space. This system is mainly challenged by the Neutral Trade Zone in the Legacy Federation. The significantly lower prices undercut crown corporations profits due to the Dominion's mistrust of the corporate business model. "To every man I give a homestead, a meal, and a purpose." When Imperator Isaac Wolfe uttered the phrase "To every man, I give a homestead, a meal, and a purpose," he was referring to the state of human affairs after the Venkath Onslaught. Even in this spacefaring society, there were people who were left behind and destitute. The grinding wheels of civilization and war do not often spare these people, but Wolfe sought to rectify this any way he could. While often barred from openly encouraging immigration to the Dominion, the poor of the Federation and the Republic that could make their way over would be guaranteed lodging, three square meals a day, and employment through the Tribunal of Functions. The living conditions are not the best nor are the meals of portion bread, but some people make the trek in search of a better life. Of course, coping with the rigid social structure and it's puritanical religion are often a struggle for immigrants beyond the conditions. Demographics Since the inception of the Dominion, and as a result of the Onslaught, Imperator Wolfe had implemented several human-first policies in order to safeguard his new empire from internal strife from his alien subjects. Humans were (and still are) encouraged to breed a new generation of Dominion subjects whereas the alien subjects were rounded up, their land stolen, and enslaved. It is preached by Garudan priests that humans are the masters of what they call the "Civilized Galaxy," and as a result of this, the Dominion has sought to create that imagine paradise within it's borders. The borders and population of the modern Dominion are a direct correlation of this path. Religion The Dominion was founded on the principles of Garudanism -- that humans are pure creations in tune with the cosmos, and polluting your body with augmentations is a sin. Due to the controling nature of the monarchy and it's attendent departments, competing religions and philosophies are suppressed in order to keep the Dominion as homogenous as possible. Reeducation, nerve stapling, and a score of other heavy-handed tactics are used to ensure the subjects of the Imperator share the same values and creeds. Philosophies and belief systems that support Garudanism and the Dominion are often studied and co-opted if it is believed to be safe. This is conducted by the Monolith Memetics Institute. Species Distribution Humanity's relationship with aliens has always been complicated, especially now after the Venkath Onslaught. After the Great Regret, it was viewed by many within the fledgling Dominion that aliens could not be trusted and were just sleeper agents for the venkath, lying in wait for humanity to become complacent to strike and finish the job. While these claims were completely unsubstaniated, the Dominion acted and annexed the former alien subject states of the Terran Confederacy. They were stripped of their lands, enslaved, and dispersed across the Dominion. Species like the Nuvani were branded and resettled across worlds that needed a cheap labor force to rebuild. While no official records exist, it is said by an anonymous source hundreds of thousands of Nuvani slaves died in the rebuilding of Dominion worlds. Culture It is no surprise that the Dominion enforces it's culture on the worlds it controls. Social deviance is seen as a slippery slope in which all of society can slide into decadence, as with the Thesian Republic. Subjects of the Dominion sacrifice facets of their individuality in order to strengthen the collective society. This is not to say that the Dominion is a Collectivist apocalypse, but while the Dominion is typically in internal political turmoil, their culture is not. Science and Technology Due to the oppressive nature of the government and the intensity of the Garudanist faith, technological advancement has slowed or even regressed in some cases. This is not the case on every world, but many worlds have taken a strange turn in their scientific development. Scientists are typically called Diviners, as they mix arcane formulas with real science in order to come to their conclusions. One such invention was the Arkbrain, which stands as a grim alternative to the standard shipboard artificial intelligence. While often crude or off-base, the Dominion approaches innovation as a way to showcase the unadulterated, brilliant human mind to the cosmos whilst aliens and augmented humans oppose them. Invention is seen as a way to attune your spirit to the stars and bring humanity closer to purity. Common Use The Aurelian Dominion has a '''Conditional Common Use policy. Although the content is owned by Architect, members are free to create characters and organizations within the Dominion. Credits *Dominion insignia design by DeviantArt user MarceloDZN. Edits made by Synsensa. Category:Polities Category:Governments